Dear Pumpkin – 11 months

Sweet girl,
You are 11 months old, and I can’t believe it! You’re already growing up too fast for my liking, but I am so thankful to get to watch it happen.

You are walking around like crazy, and like to try to run away when someone comes after you on your way to something you’re not supposed to have. You give a little scream & pick up the pace with a huge grin on your face!

You have four teeth now, with the cutest little gap in between the top two. You’ve been such a trooper with those teeth moving in!!

You’re a curious little thing and love to sit inside a small plastic bin to play. You’re starting to make animal noises when asked, and right now you make a monkey noise & a tiger – which usually comes out as a whispered roar. So cute!!! (And a welcome change of pitch/volume from the screaming you still do allllll the time!) You’ve also started to give real hugs and it just melts me. Especially when you reach over to hug your sister. After all the love, hugs & kisses Peanut has given you (sometimes a little too much), it makes my heart swell to watch you start hugging her too.

You like to be on the move, so photos are getting to be more and more of a workout for me!

You had been doing really well with using the baby hand language sign for “more” until recently – then you made the switch back to just screaming. I’m praying the little hand sign makes its return soon!

You like to point at things, and are starting to be able to point out people when we ask you where they are. You love to dance, and like to play outside. You love to eat avocados & sliced chicken (deli meat style). You also love to drag around blankets, towels, fabric – anything like that. And Little One, you walking around with a blanket trailing behind you makes me think of Linus from the Peanuts cartoon, and I can only hope you have a faith like his!

Your Oma had to help me wrangle you during this shoot (you can see her hand on the bottom right), and my goodness, Little One, you sure do love her! (And so do I!)

I just love this one…. the little wisp of hair behind your ear & your little hands on that poor sticker that never had a chance. For some reason this just seems so fitting for this stage you’re in, sweet girl.

(Bows & headbands also don’t stand a chance these days…. but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to try for photos!)

Pumpkin, you challenge me everyday, and while sometimes it leaves me tired, it also leaves me so so so thankful. Feeling you wrap your arms around my neck reminds me that the struggles are worth it, and that I want to do everything I can to be the very best mama for you.